Simola does robotics. Philip does track. Jack plays soccer. So why are we three busy people even maintaining an aquaponics unit? We'd love to say, "'Cause, science," but that's not enough.
Here's why:
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 2.3- The student is able to predict how changes in free energy availability affect organisms, populations, and/or ecosystems. Our aquaponics experiment exemplifies this objective because if we were to stop feeding our fish (energy input) then the whole system would collapse. The fish use the food to produce nitrogenous wastes that is the fixed by bacteria and used by the plants to grow. Without the input of food (energy) our fish would die, and our plants would follow as they would have no more source of energy input.
Learning Objective 2.2- the student is able to justify a scientific claim that free energy is required for living systems to maintain organization, to grow, or to reproduce, but that multiple strategies for obtaining and using energy exist in different living systems. Our aquaponics setup displays this objective because our fish continue to grow and thrive due to the input of free energy (feeding them). Without this addition of free energy, the fish would not survive, which consequently would cause a deterioration in the health of the plants. The basil plants acquire free energy from the light above by using chloroplasts, and they get their nutrients from the waste produced by the fish.
Learning Objective 2.8- The student is able to justify the selection of data regarding the types of molecules an animal, plant or bacterium will take up as necessary building blocks and excrete as waste products. Our experiment exemplifies this objective via the data we collect. The low levels of NO2 and the moderate levels of NO3 suggest that nitrogen fixing bacteria are present in the setup and that the plants are using the nitrates in their growth processes. Additionally, the constant pH suggests that though our fish continue to excrete basic nitrogenous wastes, our plants are relatively efficient at using those wastes as an energy input.
Science Practices:
Science Practice 4- The student can plan and implement data collection strategies appropriate to a particular scientific question
Our aquaponics setup exemplifies this scientific practice because we wanted to test whether plants would grow better in an aquaponics system than they would in regular soil. To measure this, we planted the same type of basil in both a deep culture aquaponics system and a soil bed in a pot. We measure the heights of each of four groups of plants in each location twice a week and compare. Additionally, we wanted to investigate the energy cycle that would occur in the aquaponics system, so we measured pH, NO2, and NO3 levels, which allowed us to infer the production of nitrogenous wastes by the fish and the consumption of nitrates by the plants to be used for growth.
Scientific Practice 5- The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence
Our aquaponics setup exemplifies this standard in that we constantly collect data regarding our system. This data includes NO2 concentration, pH, NO3 concentration, plant growth, and apparent fish health. The basil plants growing in the aquaponics system have displayed much more growth than those in the soil bed, especially once the second group of fish was introduced to the system. The original group of eleven fish did not survive long, and ultimately the plants in the system displayed little growth. When all of the fish had died, we removed the pebble floor of the tank, leaving only the glass, and decided to change the water in the tank at least once a week. The second group of fish was then introduced, and after a couple weeks, the plants in the aquaponics displayed very apparent growth, especially in comparison to the plants in soil. The fish themselves are in what appears to be good health, as none are discolored, sinking/floating, or dying. This evidence supports the hypothesis that if the aquaponics system is functional, meaning both sides of the equation are kept alive, then basil plants growing in the aquaponics system will grow more than those in a soil bed.
All the while, this has been going on:
Energy has been flowing.
Here's why:
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 2.3- The student is able to predict how changes in free energy availability affect organisms, populations, and/or ecosystems. Our aquaponics experiment exemplifies this objective because if we were to stop feeding our fish (energy input) then the whole system would collapse. The fish use the food to produce nitrogenous wastes that is the fixed by bacteria and used by the plants to grow. Without the input of food (energy) our fish would die, and our plants would follow as they would have no more source of energy input.
Learning Objective 2.2- the student is able to justify a scientific claim that free energy is required for living systems to maintain organization, to grow, or to reproduce, but that multiple strategies for obtaining and using energy exist in different living systems. Our aquaponics setup displays this objective because our fish continue to grow and thrive due to the input of free energy (feeding them). Without this addition of free energy, the fish would not survive, which consequently would cause a deterioration in the health of the plants. The basil plants acquire free energy from the light above by using chloroplasts, and they get their nutrients from the waste produced by the fish.
Learning Objective 2.8- The student is able to justify the selection of data regarding the types of molecules an animal, plant or bacterium will take up as necessary building blocks and excrete as waste products. Our experiment exemplifies this objective via the data we collect. The low levels of NO2 and the moderate levels of NO3 suggest that nitrogen fixing bacteria are present in the setup and that the plants are using the nitrates in their growth processes. Additionally, the constant pH suggests that though our fish continue to excrete basic nitrogenous wastes, our plants are relatively efficient at using those wastes as an energy input.
Science Practices:
Science Practice 4- The student can plan and implement data collection strategies appropriate to a particular scientific question
Our aquaponics setup exemplifies this scientific practice because we wanted to test whether plants would grow better in an aquaponics system than they would in regular soil. To measure this, we planted the same type of basil in both a deep culture aquaponics system and a soil bed in a pot. We measure the heights of each of four groups of plants in each location twice a week and compare. Additionally, we wanted to investigate the energy cycle that would occur in the aquaponics system, so we measured pH, NO2, and NO3 levels, which allowed us to infer the production of nitrogenous wastes by the fish and the consumption of nitrates by the plants to be used for growth.
Scientific Practice 5- The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence
Our aquaponics setup exemplifies this standard in that we constantly collect data regarding our system. This data includes NO2 concentration, pH, NO3 concentration, plant growth, and apparent fish health. The basil plants growing in the aquaponics system have displayed much more growth than those in the soil bed, especially once the second group of fish was introduced to the system. The original group of eleven fish did not survive long, and ultimately the plants in the system displayed little growth. When all of the fish had died, we removed the pebble floor of the tank, leaving only the glass, and decided to change the water in the tank at least once a week. The second group of fish was then introduced, and after a couple weeks, the plants in the aquaponics displayed very apparent growth, especially in comparison to the plants in soil. The fish themselves are in what appears to be good health, as none are discolored, sinking/floating, or dying. This evidence supports the hypothesis that if the aquaponics system is functional, meaning both sides of the equation are kept alive, then basil plants growing in the aquaponics system will grow more than those in a soil bed.
All the while, this has been going on:
Energy has been flowing.
Only 10% of energy goes from one trophic level to the next. The transfer of energy is a very leaky one, with the other 90% lost to various processes such as cellular respiration, transpiration, perspiration, and decomposition, as well as through heat that dissipates. Here, it is from the sun to the goby to the mackerel to the shark. Though more trophic levels can be added, primary productivity governs how many. Decomposition returns nutrients from the organisms to the environment; producers can then use them, as well as carbon dioxide and water.